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Cell Host & Microbe Jun 2023The microbes and microbial pathways that influence host inflammatory disease progression remain largely undefined. Here, we show that variation in atherosclerosis burden...
The microbes and microbial pathways that influence host inflammatory disease progression remain largely undefined. Here, we show that variation in atherosclerosis burden is partially driven by gut microbiota and is associated with circulating levels of uric acid (UA) in mice and humans. We identify gut bacterial taxa spanning multiple phyla, including Bacillota, Fusobacteriota, and Pseudomonadota, that use multiple purines, including UA as carbon and energy sources anaerobically. We identify a gene cluster that encodes key steps of anaerobic purine degradation and that is widely distributed among gut-dwelling bacteria. Furthermore, we show that colonization of gnotobiotic mice with purine-degrading bacteria modulates levels of UA and other purines in the gut and systemically. Thus, gut microbes are important drivers of host global purine homeostasis and serum UA levels, and gut bacterial catabolism of purines may represent a mechanism by which gut bacteria influence health.
Topics: Humans; Animals; Mice; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Homeostasis; Purines; Bacteria; Uric Acid
PubMed: 37279756
DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2023.05.011 -
Critical Reviews in Biochemistry and... Feb 2021The focus of this review is the human de novo purine biosynthetic pathway. The pathway enzymes are enumerated, as well as the reactions they catalyze and their physical... (Review)
Review
The focus of this review is the human de novo purine biosynthetic pathway. The pathway enzymes are enumerated, as well as the reactions they catalyze and their physical properties. Early literature evidence suggested that they might assemble into a multi-enzyme complex called a metabolon. The finding that fluorescently-tagged chimeras of the pathway enzymes form discrete puncta, now called purinosomes, is further elaborated in this review to include: a discussion of their assembly; the role of ancillary proteins; their locus at the microtubule/mitochondria interface; the elucidation that at endogenous levels, purinosomes function to channel intermediates from phosphoribosyl pyrophosphate to AMP and GMP; and the evidence for the purinosomes to exist as a protein condensate. The review concludes with a consideration of probable signaling pathways that might promote the assembly and disassembly of the purinosome, in particular the identification of candidate kinases given the extensive phosphorylation of the enzymes. These collective findings substantiate our current view of the de novo purine biosynthetic metabolon whose properties will be representative of how other metabolic pathways might be organized for their function.
Topics: Adenosine Monophosphate; Biosynthetic Pathways; Cyclic AMP; Cyclic GMP; Guanosine Monophosphate; Humans; Microtubules; Mitochondria; Multienzyme Complexes; Phosphoribosyl Pyrophosphate; Phosphorylation; Proteins; Purines; Signal Transduction
PubMed: 33179964
DOI: 10.1080/10409238.2020.1832438 -
Signal Transduction and Targeted Therapy Apr 2021Purines and their derivatives, most notably adenosine and ATP, are the key molecules controlling intracellular energy homoeostasis and nucleotide synthesis. Besides,... (Review)
Review
Purines and their derivatives, most notably adenosine and ATP, are the key molecules controlling intracellular energy homoeostasis and nucleotide synthesis. Besides, these purines support, as chemical messengers, purinergic transmission throughout tissues and species. Purines act as endogenous ligands that bind to and activate plasmalemmal purinoceptors, which mediate extracellular communication referred to as "purinergic signalling". Purinergic signalling is cross-linked with other transmitter networks to coordinate numerous aspects of cell behaviour such as proliferation, differentiation, migration, apoptosis and other physiological processes critical for the proper function of organisms. Pathological deregulation of purinergic signalling contributes to various diseases including neurodegeneration, rheumatic immune diseases, inflammation, and cancer. Particularly, gout is one of the most prevalent purine-related disease caused by purine metabolism disorder and consequent hyperuricemia. Compelling evidence indicates that purinoceptors are potential therapeutic targets, with specific purinergic agonists and antagonists demonstrating prominent therapeutic potential. Furthermore, dietary and herbal interventions help to restore and balance purine metabolism, thus addressing the importance of a healthy lifestyle in the prevention and relief of human disorders. Profound understanding of molecular mechanisms of purinergic signalling provides new and exciting insights into the treatment of human diseases.
Topics: Apoptosis; Cell Communication; Humans; Metabolic Diseases; Purines; Receptors, Purinergic; Signal Transduction
PubMed: 33907179
DOI: 10.1038/s41392-021-00553-z -
Theranostics 2020Gut microbiota, which plays a crucial role in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), might have therapeutic benefits for ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease. Targeting...
Gut microbiota, which plays a crucial role in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), might have therapeutic benefits for ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease. Targeting gut microbiota represents a new treatment strategy for IBD patients. Rhein is one of the main components of rhubarb and exhibits poor oral bioavailability but still exerts anti-inflammatory effects in some diseases. Therefore, we investigated the effect of rhein on colitis and studied its possible mechanisms. The chronic mouse colitis model was induced by four rounds of 2% dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) treatment. The mice were treated with 50 mg/kg and 100 mg/kg rhein daily, body weight, colon length, histological score, inflammatory cytokines in serum or intestine, and fecal lipocalin 2 concentration were determined. Th17 cell, Th1 cell and Th2 cell infiltration in the mesenteric lymph node were analyzed by flow cytometry. Metabolic profiles were collected by non-targeted metabolomics and key metabolic pathways were identified using MetaboAnalyst 4.0. We also assessed intestinal barrier permeability and performed 16s rDNA sequencing. was cultured, and fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) was employed to evaluate the contribution of gut microbiota. Rhein could significantly alleviate DSS-induced chronic colitis. Uric acid was identified as a crucial modulator of colitis and rhein treatment led to decreased uric acid levels. We determined that rhein changed purine metabolism indirectly, while the probiotic was involved in the regulation of host metabolism. Uric acid resulted in a worsened intestinal barrier, which could be rescued by rhein. We further confirmed that rhein-treated gut microbiota was sufficient to relieve DSS-induced colitis by FMT. We showed that rhein could modulate gut microbiota, which indirectly changed purine metabolism in the intestine and subsequently alleviated colitis. Our study has identified a new approach to the clinical treatment of colitis.
Topics: Animals; Anthraquinones; Colitis, Ulcerative; Dextran Sulfate; Disease Models, Animal; Fecal Microbiota Transplantation; Feces; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Humans; Intestinal Mucosa; Lactobacillus; Male; Metabolic Networks and Pathways; Mice; Probiotics; Purines; Uric Acid
PubMed: 32929373
DOI: 10.7150/thno.43528 -
Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases Jan 2024To investigate the effect of the L-arginine metabolism on arthritis and inflammation-mediated bone loss.
OBJECTIVES
To investigate the effect of the L-arginine metabolism on arthritis and inflammation-mediated bone loss.
METHODS
L-arginine was applied to three arthritis models (collagen-induced arthritis, serum-induced arthritis and human TNF transgenic mice). Inflammation was assessed clinically and histologically, while bone changes were quantified by μCT and histomorphometry. In vitro, effects of L-arginine on osteoclast differentiation were analysed by RNA-seq and mass spectrometry (MS). Seahorse, Single Cell ENergetIc metabolism by profilIng Translation inHibition and transmission electron microscopy were used for detecting metabolic changes in osteoclasts. Moreover, arginine-associated metabolites were measured in the serum of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and pre-RA patients.
RESULTS
L-arginine inhibited arthritis and bone loss in all three models and directly blocked TNFα-induced murine and human osteoclastogenesis. RNA-seq and MS analyses indicated that L-arginine switched glycolysis to oxidative phosphorylation in inflammatory osteoclasts leading to increased ATP production, purine metabolism and elevated inosine and hypoxanthine levels. Adenosine deaminase inhibitors blocking inosine and hypoxanthine production abolished the inhibition of L-arginine on osteoclastogenesis in vitro and in vivo. Altered arginine levels were also found in RA and pre-RA patients.
CONCLUSION
Our study demonstrated that L-arginine ameliorates arthritis and bone erosion through metabolic reprogramming and perturbation of purine metabolism in osteoclasts.
Topics: Humans; Mice; Animals; Osteoclasts; Arthritis, Rheumatoid; Arthritis, Experimental; Inflammation; Mice, Transgenic; Arginine; Inosine; Hypoxanthines; Purines; Bone Resorption
PubMed: 37775153
DOI: 10.1136/ard-2022-223626 -
Cell Jan 2020Mutations in FAMIN cause arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease in early childhood, and a common genetic variant increases the risk for Crohn's disease and leprosy. We...
Mutations in FAMIN cause arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease in early childhood, and a common genetic variant increases the risk for Crohn's disease and leprosy. We developed an unbiased liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry screen for enzymatic activity of this orphan protein. We report that FAMIN phosphorolytically cleaves adenosine into adenine and ribose-1-phosphate. Such activity was considered absent from eukaryotic metabolism. FAMIN and its prokaryotic orthologs additionally have adenosine deaminase, purine nucleoside phosphorylase, and S-methyl-5'-thioadenosine phosphorylase activity, hence, combine activities of the namesake enzymes of central purine metabolism. FAMIN enables in macrophages a purine nucleotide cycle (PNC) between adenosine and inosine monophosphate and adenylosuccinate, which consumes aspartate and releases fumarate in a manner involving fatty acid oxidation and ATP-citrate lyase activity. This macrophage PNC synchronizes mitochondrial activity with glycolysis by balancing electron transfer to mitochondria, thereby supporting glycolytic activity and promoting oxidative phosphorylation and mitochondrial H and phosphate recycling.
Topics: Adenine; Adenosine; Adenosine Deaminase; Chromatography, Liquid; HEK293 Cells; Hep G2 Cells; Humans; Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; Mass Spectrometry; Multifunctional Enzymes; Phosphorylation; Proteins; Purine Nucleotides; Purines
PubMed: 31978345
DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2019.12.017 -
New insights into purine metabolism in metabolic diseases: role of xanthine oxidoreductase activity.American Journal of Physiology.... Nov 2020Xanthine oxidoreductase (XOR) consists of two different forms, xanthine dehydrogenase and xanthine oxidase (XO), and is a rate-limiting enzyme of uric acid production... (Review)
Review
Xanthine oxidoreductase (XOR) consists of two different forms, xanthine dehydrogenase and xanthine oxidase (XO), and is a rate-limiting enzyme of uric acid production from hypoxanthine and xanthine. Uric acid is the end product of purine metabolism in humans and has a powerful antioxidant effect. The lack of ascorbic acid, known as vitamin C, in hominoids has been thought to cause a compensatory increase in uric acid as an antioxidant by unfunctional gene mutation of uricase to a pseudogene. Because XO is involved in an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) by generating superoxide and hydrogen peroxide, inadequate activation of XOR promotes oxidative stress-related tissue injury. Plasma XOR activity is associated with obesity, smoking, liver dysfunction, hyperuricemia, dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, and adipokines, indicating a novel biomarker of metabolic disorders. However, XOR activity in adipose tissue is low in humans unlike in rodents, and hypoxanthine is secreted from human adipose tissue. The concentration of hypoxanthine, but not xanthine, is independently associated with obesity in a general population, indicating differential regulation of hypoxanthine and xanthine. Treatment with an XOR inhibitor can decrease uric acid for preventing gout, reduce production of XO-related ROS, and promote reutilization of hypoxanthine and ATP production through the salvage pathway. It has recently been suggested that discontinuation of an XOR inhibitor causes adverse cardiovascular outcomes as XOR inhibitor withdrawal syndrome, possibly due to cardiac disturbance of conduction and contraction by reduced ATP production. New insights into purine metabolism, including the role of XOR activity in the past 5 yr, are mainly discussed in this review.
Topics: Biomarkers; Humans; Metabolic Diseases; Purines; Reactive Oxygen Species; Uric Acid; Xanthine Dehydrogenase
PubMed: 32893671
DOI: 10.1152/ajpendo.00378.2020 -
International Journal of Molecular... Aug 2023Numerous basic studies have reported on the neuroprotective properties of several purine derivatives such as caffeine and uric acid (UA). Epidemiological studies have... (Review)
Review
Numerous basic studies have reported on the neuroprotective properties of several purine derivatives such as caffeine and uric acid (UA). Epidemiological studies have also shown the inverse association of appropriate caffeine intake or serum urate levels with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer disease (AD) and Parkinson's disease (PD). The well-established neuroprotective mechanisms of caffeine and UA involve adenosine A receptor antagonism and antioxidant activity, respectively. Our recent study found that another purine derivative, paraxanthine, has neuroprotective effects similar to those of caffeine and UA. These purine derivatives can promote neuronal cysteine uptake through excitatory amino acid carrier protein 1 (EAAC1) to increase neuronal glutathione (GSH) levels in the brain. This review summarizes the GSH-mediated neuroprotective effects of purine derivatives. Considering the fact that GSH depletion is a manifestation in the brains of AD and PD patients, administration of purine derivatives may be a new therapeutic approach to prevent or delay the onset of these neurodegenerative diseases.
Topics: Humans; Adenosine A2 Receptor Antagonists; Alzheimer Disease; Brain; Cysteine; Excitatory Amino Acid Transporter 3; Glutathione; Neuroprotection; Neuroprotective Agents; Parkinson Disease; Purines; Receptor, Adenosine A2A; Theophylline; Uric Acid; Caffeine
PubMed: 37685879
DOI: 10.3390/ijms241713067 -
Journal of Ovarian Research Aug 2022Purine, an abundant substrate in organisms, is a critical raw material for cell proliferation and an important factor for immune regulation. The purine de novo pathway... (Review)
Review
Purine, an abundant substrate in organisms, is a critical raw material for cell proliferation and an important factor for immune regulation. The purine de novo pathway and salvage pathway are tightly regulated by multiple enzymes, and dysfunction in these enzymes leads to excessive cell proliferation and immune imbalance that result in tumor progression. Maintaining the homeostasis of purine pools is an effective way to control cell growth and tumor evolution, and exploiting purine metabolism to suppress tumors suggests interesting directions for future research. In this review, we describe the process of purine metabolism and summarize the role and potential therapeutic effects of the major purine-metabolizing enzymes in ovarian cancer, including CD39, CD73, adenosine deaminase, adenylate kinase, hypoxanthine guanine phosphoribosyltransferase, inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase, purine nucleoside phosphorylase, dihydrofolate reductase and 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase. Purinergic signaling is also described. We then provide an overview of the application of purine antimetabolites, comprising 6-thioguanine, 6-mercaptopurine, methotrexate, fludarabine and clopidogrel. Finally, we discuss the current challenges and future opportunities for targeting purine metabolism in the treatment-relevant cellular mechanisms of ovarian cancer.
Topics: Carcinoma, Ovarian Epithelial; Female; Humans; Ovarian Neoplasms; Purines
PubMed: 35964092
DOI: 10.1186/s13048-022-01022-z -
Phytomedicine : International Journal... Dec 2023Current evidence indicates a rising global prevalence of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD), which is closely associated to conditions such as obesity,...
BACKGROUND
Current evidence indicates a rising global prevalence of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD), which is closely associated to conditions such as obesity, dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, and metabolic syndrome. The relationship between the gut microbiome and metabolites in NAFLD is gaining attention understanding the pathogenesis and progression of dysregulated lipid metabolism and inflammation. The Xie Zhuo Tiao Zhi (XZTZ) decoction has been employed in clinical practice for alleviating hyperlipidemia and symptoms related to metabolic disorders. However, the pharmacological mechanisms underlying the effects of XZTZ remain to be elucidated.
PURPOSE
The objective of this study was to examine the pharmacological mechanisms underlying the hypolipidemic and anti-inflammatory effects of XZTZ decoction in a mouse model of NAFLD, as well as the effects of supplementing exogenous metabolites on PO induced cell damage and lipid accumulation in cultured hepatocytes.
METHODS
A high-fat diet (HFD) mouse model was established to examine the effects of XZTZ through oral gavage. The general condition of mice and the protective effect of XZTZ on liver injury were evaluated using histological and biochemical methods. Hematoxylin and eosin staining (H&E) staining and oil red O staining were performed to assess inflammatory and lipid accumulation detection, and cytokine levels were quantitatively analyzed. Additionally, the study included full-length 16S rRNA sequencing, liver transcriptome analysis, and non-targeted metabolomics analysis to investigate the relationship among intestinal microbiome, liver metabolic function, and XZTZ decoction.
RESULTS
XZTZ had a significant impact on the microbial community structure in NAFLD mice. Notably, the abundance of Ileibacterium valens, which was significantly enriched by XZTZ, exhibited a negative correlation with liver injury biomarkers such as, alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate transaminase (AST) activity. Moreover, treatment with XZTZ led to a significant enrichment of the purine metabolism pathway in liver tissue metabolites, with inosine, a purine metabolite, showing a significant positive correlation with the abundance of I. valens. XZTZ and inosine also significantly enhanced fatty acid β-oxidation, which led to a reduction in the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and the inhibition of liver pyroptosis. These effects contributed to the mitigation of liver injury and hepatocyte damage, both in vivo and vitro. Furthermore, the utilization of HPLC fingerprints and UPLC-Q-TOF-MS elucidated the principal constituents within the XZTZ decoction, including naringin, neohesperidin, atractylenolide III, 23-o-Acetylalisol B, pachymic acid, and ursolic acid which are likely responsible for its therapeutic efficacy. Further investigations are imperative to fully uncover and validate the pharmacodynamic mechanisms underlying these observations.
CONCLUSION
The administration of XZTZ decoction demonstrates a protective effect on the livers of NAFLD mice by inhibiting lipid accumulation and reducing hepatocyte inflammatory damage. This protective effect is mediated by the upregulation of I.valens abundance in the intestine, highlighting the importance of the gut-liver axis. Furthermore, the presesnce of inosine, adenosine, and their derivatives are important in promoting the protective effects of XZTZ. Furthermore, the in vitro approaching, we provide hitherto undocumented evidence indicating that the inosine significantly improves lipid accumulation, inflammatory damage, and pyroptosis in AML12 cells incubated with free fatty acids.
Topics: Animals; Mice; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease; Gastrointestinal Microbiome; Pyroptosis; RNA, Ribosomal, 16S; Liver; Lipid Metabolism; Diet, High-Fat; Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; Purines; Inosine; Mice, Inbred C57BL
PubMed: 37804819
DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2023.155111